Seth's Secrets
by chickfly317
Summary: Hollyoaks Later - Taken from episode 4 at the part when Mitzeee confronted Warren about getting Animal beaten up, with one change, Warren lost control and hit Mitzeee and how it effected what happened when they went kayaking!
1. Chapter 1

**Seth**

I was crouched down waiting for Warren, in the same spot I had been in for the last half hour. My legs ached beneath me, begging me to stand and relieve them. I listened carefully and when I was sure no one was close to me I stood, as quietly as I could, not wanting to give my self away.

I was hidden by the undergrowth as I peered over the edge of the wooden decking. It was quiet, no one was around. Everyone was in their places waiting, just like me, to make sure Warren paid for what he did to me.

I couldn't believe that he had made me believe I killed Honey, the stripper. My blood boiled at the thought. Why would he do that? What possible reason could he have to make me want to believe that?

And Riley was so sure that Anne was in on the whole thing too, but I wasn't. I knew what she could be like, of course I did but she would never do that, especially not to me. She was still Anne to me. I knew the whole Mitzeee thing was a front. I think Riley does too but he doesn't seem to understand she still the same little girl we used to play with for hours on end. The little girl we would follow, never knowing what she was going to do next but at the same time knowing that she would never let anything happen to us.

I think she got it from having to look after her mother all the time, it meant that she thought she had to look after us too. We always knew what her mum was like, the three of us would sit on the stairs listening to mum and dad talking about it all the time, about her drinking problems which would more often than not lead to them fighting and Anne was always a hot topic for them.

When I was younger I didn't understand that it wasn't her fault they were fighting. They were fighting about her so immediately I would blame her. This meant every time I saw her I lashed out. At first Riley and Jasmine didn't understand why I was acting the way I was towards her. They thought I was picking on her because she was different, not because I blamed her for all the fights between mum and dad. When they realised this is why I was acting so cruelly towards her they set me straight and I'd never felt worst about anything in my life.

She was different; yes. A tiny girl with long wild brown hair and big brown eyes, but they weren't cute, just sad. Jasmine and I were bigger than her when we were five and there was a five year age gap between us and as far as I could remember back she had never been taller than Riley's chin. I understand now that it was malnourishment but back then everyone used to tease her about it. And she was always wearing the same old raggy clothes that always smelt of smoke. At school everyone thought she was a bad egg and I'm sure that she must have been picked on a lot, but she never let it show.

She was always kind and caring, always trying to look out for us when she couldn't look out for herself. She was the one to lead us on wild adventures with pirates and witches and one time Jas fell and cut her knee and Anne beat herself up about it for weeks, long after the cut had healed.

I can't recognise her these days from the child she was. She looks so different. The sadness has gone from her eyes and they are now set with determination, but sometimes I look at her and she will be looking at me at the same time and I can see Anne. She still there but Mitzeee hides her very well.

I was still in my hiding place waiting to play my part in our plan to get Warren back but I found that my anger had mellowed dramatically as I thought of Anne getting caught in the cross fire. The others were so sure that she was in on it, would they punish her too? I couldn't stop the pictures of Anne as a child floating through my head. I couldn't understand why nobody did anything to get her out of the situation she was in with her mother.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the door swinging open suddenly and Mitzeee strode out onto the decking angrily. Warren followed her sheepishly, his hands tucked tightly in his pockets as he looked at the floor between their feet.

"You got animal beaten up so he wouldn't talk to that stripper?" Mitzeee turned to speak to him. Did she know?

"I did what I had to do." He said coldly never once lifting his head up to meet hers.

"You promised me." She shouted back, clearly enraged about what he had done. She knew, she knew what he had done to me and she hadn't said anything. The others were right.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and I barely caught it, was she calling the shots? She turned away from him bringing her hands up to her head in despair, maybe she wasn't. She turned to him again holding her arms out. I'd never seen her so riled before.

"Killing peoples just like water of a ducks back to you isn't it?" She questioned and I was struck by the sincerity of her voice.

"Is that what you really think?" He sounded almost hurt, almost.

"Louise," Mitzeee's voice was suddenly calm and collected, "she couldn't keep it together could she?"

"Shut up." Anger erupted on Warrens face, "Just shut up." but Mitzeee wasn't scared.

"That's why she wanted rid of you, and that's why you killed her." She spat out and for a second I forgot to breathe. I didn't know what was worse, the fact that Warren had killed someone or the fact that Mitzeee knew what he had done and hadn't done anything about it.

"I'm warning you." Warren grabbed both her lower arms forcefully and pulled her towards him. She looked petrified; his face was centimetres from hers when he started to threaten her.

"You need to keep quiet about this." His face was contorted with anger and he looked possessed. I wanted to run and help her but I was frozen to the spot. He'd killed someone, she knew about it; and she knew that Warren had made me believe that I'd killed someone. She struggled in his grip but he held onto her tightly staring her down wanting to make sure that she was going to keep what she knew to herself.

In one swift movement, that Warren wasn't expecting, Anne broke free and started to run.

"Look Mitzeee," he dove for her again grabbing her upper arm in what looked like a vice tight grip and pulled her back to him once again.

"You killed her." It came out tough but I could hear just how terrified she was.

In a split second he'd let go of her arm and smashed his fist into her face. The force threw her to the floor where she lay motionless.

**I've had this I'm my head ever since I saw this episode. Part of me saw Warren not being able to control himself and hitting her and the camera angle made me think that someone was watching them. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Seth**

I was about to jump from my hiding place when Anne stirred. She let out a small groan of pain but I couldn't see her probably as she was lying with her back to me. She curled into a ball like she was expecting more than just the one hit and I was left wondering why she would react like that.

I fought with myself about leaving my hiding place. I knew that Warren would probably kill me if he knew that I knew that he had killed someone but seeing Anne lying on the floor defenceless curled into a ball while Warren stood above her was over riding any thoughts I had about Warren killing me. He was shifting from one foot to the other uneasily, his hands still curled in tight fists at his side.

Just as I lifted one foot of the ground ready to go over to her she pulled herself into a sitting position. She was leaning heavily on her right arm and had her left hand covering the left side of her face. She had tears in her eyes as she looked up at Warren fearfully, I could see her shaking from here. Warren relaxed at this. His fists released and his hands hung freely by his sides. His face wore an expression of pain and sorrow rather than anger.

"I didn't mean that." He spoke softly as he bent down beside her and stretched out a hand gingerly toward her face. He stopped instinctively before he touched her and his hand fell back to his side.

"I'm sorry." He finally apologised, his gaze dropping to the ground again. After a couple of seconds of silence he spoke again.

"I love you." He stretched the words out like he meant them, but I didn't believe him for a second, but Anne seemed to be taking it in. Her left hand dropped from her face revealing a huge red mark on her cheek which was defiantly going to be a shiner. He didn't recoil at the sight of what he had done to her face; instead he carried on looking at her trying, with his eyes, to make her believe that he loved her.

Her big eyes shone with fear but she searched his face trying to prove that she wasn't scared of him. I wondered what she was looking for. Was it regret or just to see if there was any anger left there, or maybe even some truth.

I could hear footsteps approaching and spun quickly to see my brother making his way towards Warren and Anne. He was quiet a way off so he couldn't see them yet but they were still on the floor in positions which clearly showed what Warren had done.

But they were in silence and quickly caught onto the noise of boots approaching. Warren pulled Anne up off the floor and pushed her inside with hushed instructions to get cleaned up.

Just as the door closed Riley stepped onto the wooden decking.

"Any sign of Seth yet?" he asked.

"No." He stopped for a second before continuing. "When I was Seth's age I'd go missing for days."

"Seth isn't you." Riley replied shortly.

"He'll be fine." Warren tried to reassure him.

"Try telling me mum that." That caused Warren to turn and look at Riley.

"What? You phoned home?" He was getting worried.

"Yer, from the pub. I had to. I thought he might have turned up there." Riley was almost smirking at warren but he was too caught up in thinking about the possibility of the police turning up that he didn't notice.

"And?" Warren question impatiently when Riley didn't elaborate.

"No show. Don't worry I didn't give anything away. Me mum would have rung 999 like that." He ended with a click of his fingers to emphasis his point.

"I suppose that's my next call." He continued, loving the reaction Warren was giving him knowing that he was digging himself into a hole.

"Na, wait. You can't." He panicked.

"What?"

"If it comes out about that stripper and you're involved. That's not good. Just give him a bit more time, yer." Warren tried desperately to bide himself more time.

"Fine, you win. He's got an hour. If he….."

He was cut short by an ear piecing scream that came from inside. Both men dashed for the door as all earlier thoughts lost as they raced towards Anne.

**A big thank you to HollyoaksBitchh and BlueBalloon9596 for reviewing :D. Thanks for reading **** hope you liked it. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Riley **

I flung open the door to the cabin.

"Anne." I called out for her in desperation as she was nowhere to be seen.

"In here." She whimpered from the bathroom and I raced alongside the beds lining the room and into the bathroom.

I quickly scanned the bathroom and found her lying on the floor by the sinks there was water all over the floor and it had soaked through her red trackies and grey hoodie. She had her back to me and I dash to her side, kneeling over her trying to find out what was wrong. She was shivering, but nothing stood out.

"Anne what's wrong." I asked sounding panicked. She slowly rolled onto her back keeping her hand across the left side of her face.

"I slipped." She stated, obviously in pain. I didn't know what to do, so I just watched her as she started to sit up.

When I came back to my senses and realised what she was doing I put an arm around her back to help her up. Swiftly I pulled her into a sitting position and sat her up straight, in front of me. I realised my mistake when she started to sway on the spot and for the first time she moved her hand away from her face to try and steady herself by reaching out for something to hold.

I didn't pay any attention to her face at this point, I was far too concerned as I watch her try to grab the underneath of the sink to stop her self from falling, but it was too far away and she looked like she was going to slump back to the floor any second. I reached out for her instinctively, wrapping my arms around her as I brought her into my chest. I held her close trying to help her as she shut her eyes. I assumed that she was trying to overcome the wave of dizziness that I was sure she had been hit with.

I just held her there for a moment burying my face in the top of her hair, inhaling her scent. I pulled away guiltily and looked down at her face below mine and I was shocked to see her eye and cheek on the left side of her face red and beginning to swell. Her eyes were still closed; she hadn't moved an inch in my arms. I was suddenly overwhelmed by worry.

"Anne, Anne can you hear me?" I shook her gently praying for a reaction.

**Warren**

I'd just heard Mitzeee scream and was racing towards her when Doug started yelling my name. I turned to look at him and he continued to yell.

"I think I've found him. I've found Seth." He finished, then produced a rope and held it out in front of him. When he could see that I made no attempt to move towards him he continued.

"Quickly, I think he's hurt badly." I glanced back at the cabin before I started running towards Doug who started running in front of me to lead the way.

"I heard shouting," Doug told me as we ran through the woods, "like help but I didn't know where it was coming from but when I got here it just kind of stopped so I ran back and got the gear." He stopped beside a big drainage hole. I looked down into it and it was pitch black.

"Have you spoken to Riley?" I questioned.

"No, we need to find him." Doug spoke, panicking slightly.

"No, we deal with this first." I told him roughly.

"His brother could be down there." I grabbed the front of his jacket roughly.

"We deal with this first; got it."

"I don't want to do this Warren not now."

"Give me the torch." I demanded and strode back to the hole. I shone it down looking for anything that would suggest Seth was down there.

"Oh my god, that's his t-shirt." Doug pointed to a dark piece of fabric which indeed supported Seth's name.

"I'm going down there." I said not wanting to waste another minuet. Doug tied the rope around the tree and I tied it around my waist.

"Be careful, ok." He said before I started lowering myself into the hole.

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I sunk down the front door to the cabin holding my face in my hands. The right side of it was burning and I knew there was no way I would manage to cover it up. What could I do? I never wanted the guys to find out what he had done and I knew Warren wouldn't want them to know either.

I started trying to think of ways in which I could have done this accidently but most of them were so far fetched nobody was going to believe them. The best one I could come up with was that I slipped in the bathroom, I just had to make sure that there was water on the floor before Riley came walking through the door. I knew he was stood just on the other side of the door with Warren. I could hear them talking but I wasn't paying attention to what they were saying.

I stood shakily; holding onto the bed next to me to keep me up right. Slowly I made my way down the room listening out for the end of their conversation not wanting to get caught anywhere but in the bathroom.

I finally made it to the bathroom and started running the tap. I grabbed a cup of the edge of the sink and started filling it over and over with water before emptying repeatedly onto the floor. It wasn't long before most of the floor was soaked with water and my alibi complete.

Then an idea struck me, if I had this 'accident' with Warren out side talking to Riley nobody would be suspicious of how it happened. Lowering myself to the floor I turned my back to the curtain and lay down on the soaked floor. The water soaked straight through to my skin causing me to start shivering.

I then let out a shrill scream confirming that I had just fallen and then lay in wait for Warren and Riley to come and find me. I had no idea if my scream had worked and sounded like I had fallen, I just hoped I could get away with it. I heard the door swing open and hit the wall behind it.

"Anne." Riley called out for me. He sounded panicked and I started to believe I could get away with it.

"In here." I whimpered hoping that my voice came out pained. It must had because Riley came running long the cabin and into the bathroom.

He stood in the doorway for a second probably taking in what was in front of him before he came and kneeled beside me. He seemed to be checking me over and when nothing jumped out to him he asked.

"Anne what's wrong." He sounded panicked and my heart jumped when I realise he cared. I slowly rolled onto my back keeping my hand across my face, still afraid to show him the mark I could feel bulging beneath it. It was pulsating now and I was beginning to feel sick.

"I slipped." I said making a move to sit up slowly. That's when I felt my head start to swim. I wanted to fall back to the floor anything to stop everything moving in front of my eyes but Riley had different ideas as he pulled me sharply into a sitting position. I could feel myself swaying and I shut my eyes tightly hoping for the feeling to pass; but it wouldn't. I felt so light headed and started to fall and I was sure that I saw going to hit the floor but suddenly I was in Riley's arms. He held me to his chest and I let darkness consume me.

**Thanks to HollyoaksBitchh and x-DarkDragon-x for reviewing, I love to hear your comments :D Thanks for reading, enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I felt so light headed and started to fall and I was sure that I saw going to hit the floor but suddenly I was in Riley's arms. He held me to his chest and I let darkness consume me.

"Anne, Anne can you hear me?" I could hear Riley's voice but it was like it was very far way.

"Anne, please wake up." I forced my eyes open. They only flickered open for a second before closing again but I tried again and they stayed open a little longer this time.

"Thank god." I heard Riley whisper while my eyes were closed again. I kept struggling to open them and each time they stayed open a little longer.

"Anne do you think you can stand?" He asked me after I'd managed to keep my eyes open for a couple of seconds. I looked at him not knowing either way but nodded anyway.

I leaned on Riley heavily as we stood. I was confused as to why I'd managed to walk into the bathroom but couldn't walk out of it. I didn't know where we were going but I wanted to stop. I just wanted to lie down and go to sleep.

"Stop." I finally whispered not wanting to go anywhere. All I wanted to do was get into bed and sleep off what was the beginning of a head splitting headache. Riley didn't let me stop instead he kept leading me towards the door.

I could no longer place my feet one in front of the other because the room was spinning. Eventually it stopped slowly and I regained my normal sight. I looked up to find we had stopped in the middle of the room and Riley looking down at me with concern.

"I'm fine just tired." I said.

I step out in the direction of the nearest bed letting go of Riley trying to prove that I was fine but he caught on to what I was doing and help me anyway. We moved over to mine and Warren's bed and I lay down but as he was about to place the blanket on top of me he stopped.

"I'm fine." I repeated not having the strength to argue further.

"You're soaked." He said but I couldn't have cared less instead I just closed my eyes.

"Anne, come on you have to change." I ignored him hoping that he would drop it and I thought he had when he disappeared off but he soon reappeared holding my bag with their phones in his hands.

"What's this? He asked angrily. I pulled myself into a sitting position steadily. He waited for me to answer.

"It's not." I started but he didn't let me finish.

"How it looks." He finished as he glared at me. All I could do was sigh, I was too tried for this conversation but I knew that we were going to have it now.

"You were laughing at my brother when he thought he'd killed a stripper. You have really upped your game this time. He's ok thanks for asking, yer but he was ready to throw himself into a lake but like I said he's always been a bit on an attention seeker."

"He's ok seriously?" I asked desperate to know that he was.

"Don't act like you care." He shouted at me. I fought the urge to throw up as I tried to carry on.

"You know I do, as soon as I found out what Warren had done," he cut across me again

"You came and told me?" this was going all wrong and I couldn't find away to make him understand.

"I had nothing to do with that stripper thing." I blurted out, but it made no difference.

"You nicked the phones to make sure that I couldn't talk to Mercedes." It was time to confess.

"Warren was scared that you were going to sack him as your manager because that's what Mercedes wants, right."

"So?"

"So, I thought that if I could get Mercedes out of the pic," I stopped not really wanting to finish the sentence, "and I used Animals phone to upload photos of you and those girls." I confessed but Riley just tore into me more.

"You tried to ruin my mum and dads marriage and you thought why not mine hey."

"No, I didn't want to hurt anybody." I told him truthfully as he shouted down at me.

"So Animal getting battered that was down to Warren was it?"

"Yes, he promised me that he wouldn't do anything stupid. He's lying, he's lying to everybody" I tried pleading with him but that didn't work.

"No; you're both as sick as each other. All you want is money; my money. Well don't worry Warren's going to get what's coming to him.

"Riley, please don't do anything stupid."

"Even now you're protecting him."

"No riley I'm protecting you, that's what I've been doing all along." I rose to my feet trying to get my point across but he just couldn't get that I'd been on his side all along.

"I'm not scared of him."

"You should be." I said and I meant every word. Riley might not know what Warren was capable of but I certainly did, and I didn't want Riley or Seth anywhere near him when he was like this.

I swayed on the spot again watching riley wobble into front of me. This caused the argument to stop abruptly.

"Sit down Mitzeee." He ordered, in a tone which sounded like he couldn't care less about me. But it wasn't the tone that hurt me, it was the fact that he had called me Mitzeee. It made no sense. I wanted everyone to call me Mitzeee. I'd left Anne behind years ago but something felt so right about him calling me Anne before that I missed it now it was gone.

"I'm fine." I said looking up at him sharply but this caused my vision to blur. At once Riley had hold of me and was lowering my back onto the bed.

"Get off me. I'm fine." I snapped at him, he couldn't be shouting those things at me one minuet and kind and caring the next.

"Stop saying your fine, your not. I'm going to help you out of those wet clothes and them I'm going to go and get you a cup of tea, then you can sleep." I was taken back by this change in advents but the out come sounded great.

I started removing one of my trainers while Riley got the other one. When he'd finished with his trainer I was still having trouble undoing the shoelace of mine to he ended up doing both.

Riley disappeared off for a moment and returned with a large t-shirt and a pair of trackie bottoms, neither of which belonged to me. He gestured the clothes to me and I shrugged very aware that my eyelids were getting heavier all the time.

I went through the motions of changing not really paying attention. I felt stupid being dressed like a baby so the less I thought about it the better. In the end I had my eyes close and was barely helping Riley. I knew I was going to fall to sleep before I got that cup of tea.

**I want to thank Gillian Kearney Fan, HollyoaksBitchh and BlueBalloon9596 for reviewing u made my day with your kind reviews :D thanks for reading, enjoy! xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Riley**

I was thinking of the conversation we had earlier out by the lake as I started getting her out of the wet clothes. I could tell she was in on it with Warren then, she never was a good liar. I told her that I trusted her to do the right thing but her response was what confused me. She said 'me' like she had no power to do anything and then she said she looked out for me 'even when you don't know it.' The whole conversation was bizarre I desperately didn't want her to be apart of his plan but I could see that she was, and that she hadn't done anything to warn or help us.

She looked so guilty stood beside Warren when we were talking about the stripper and she even tried to say that we couldn't trust what the stripper said. I was so disappointed I couldn't believe she would do this to basically the only family she'd ever had.

She had said that she and Anne were the same people, but they weren't; not to me, not now. Anne was my childhood friend, the minuscule girl who eyes lit up when you offered to share your sandwiches with her at lunch, who practically jumped for joy one day when I pulled out a whole other bag of sandwiches for her. And then there was Mitzeee, fame hungry, money hungry. I don't know her, I'm not sure that anyone does.

I could see that she wasn't paying much, if any attention to helping me change her. In a way that made it easier and less awkward. After replacing my trackie bottoms with hers I looked up to see she had her eyes closed and she looked like she had fallen asleep. Should I be worried about that with her bash to the head?

I decided to finish changing her then go and find the others for advice. I removed her wet hoodie and found a black long sleeve turtle neck underneath, not something Mitzeee would normally wear. I pealed it off her but was shocked when it revealed large, dark finger shaped bruises forming along her arms. I looked up at her face, it still looked peaceful and unaware of what I was seeing. I wanted to ask her about them but I didn't need to ask who gave them to her; Warren. I was going to kill him.

I slid my t-shirt on her and then went and found one of my hoodies so that the bottom half of her arms would be covered as well. It was massive on her but she looked cute in the purple colour. I tucked her under the duvet and bent down to kiss her on the forehead.

"I promise I'll get him back for this." I whispered in her ear before turning and striding out of the cabin.

**Seth**

Riley was meant to meet us here to gloat to Warren that we'd trapped him down a hole but he was nowhere to be seen. Warren was down the hole and we had had the joy of gloating to him and now we were walking away from him, his shouts getting quieter with every step.

Riley appeared out of the trees a couple of meters away, he was striding meaningfully towards us and as he got closer I could see that his expression was one full of a hundred percent anger. I don't think I'd ever seen him this angry before and we all stopped as he approached us not knowing what to do.

He didn't slow down as he approached us and in the end we moved out of his way and he walk straight between us without a word. We ran after him not know what he was going to do. He stopped glaring down into the hole causing Warren to stop shouting. He turned to Animal.

"Get him up here. I'm going to fucking mash his head in." Riley was so angry, even Animal was taken back.

"No Riley, he's not worth it." Doug tried to calm the situation down standing in-between Riley and the hole.

"I'm going to kill him." Riley continued paying no attention to what Doug said. Doug put he hands on his chest trying to push him away from the hole and eventually Riley let Doug push him a couple of meters from the hole hoping to find out why Riley was suddenly so angry at Warren.

"What happened?" I asked, knowing that he had probably seen what Warren had done to Anne's face.

"He thinks he can walk all over people with no consequences, well I'm going to give him some consequences. He's not just going to get away with what he's done." Riley ranted.

"No, look we'll call the police later. Until then let him sweat." Doug said breaking into Riley's rant.

"What and you want me to drop it just like that after everything he's done? Left in a cave and just a slap on the wrist. No, he's not getting of that lightly." Riley question obviously thinking that this punishment wasn't enough now he knew what he had done to Anne.

"What, do you want to end up in a cell too?" I shot in, wanting to bring Riley back to reality. As much as I wanted to mash Warren's face in for what he had done Warren only lived down the road and would be there to get us back any time he wished.

"We do what we came to do, enjoy Riley's stag do." Doug finished putting his arm around Riley's shoulder and started guiding him away from the hole and Warren.

"What you still want to go white water rafting now?" I question, confused from how we went from nearly beating up Warren to going back to the stag do.

"Wait, I have to go and check on Anne, I mean Mitzeee first." Riley said causing Doug and Animal to stop and look at him.

"Why?" Doug asked.

"I will." Animal jumped in, "I'll run and check on her and then meet you there."

"Stay with her if she's still feeling dizzy, and don't let her lie to you either." Riley instructed him.

"What happened? Why was she feeling dizzy?" Animal asked.

"She slipped in the bathroom while Warren and I were talking. She hit her face of the basin on the way down, it looks a right mess."

I stared at Riley with my mouth open. Did he believe what he had just said? Was that why Anne had screamed?

"I'll make sure she is ok then meet you there, or not." Animal said before wondering off towards the cabin.

**Thank you so much for reviewing Hollyoaksbitchh and BlueBalloon9596. I loved hollyoaks today bless Riley and Mitzeee, at first I really couldn't see them together but after the later episodes I really warmed to them too, but they were so cute today :D Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear what you think **


	6. Chapter 6

**Mitzeee/Anne**

"I promise, I'll get him back for this." The words were just a whisper in my ear far, far away from my mind and it took me along time after hearing them to understand what he meant. How could I have been so stupid? My eyes flashed open and I grabbed the bottom of my sleeve and pulled it up quickly revealing a large hand shaped bruise on my arm.

'Shit.' I threw back the covers and practically jumped to my feet. Only to sink back down onto the bed my vision spinning in front of me and my head feeling like someone was drumming on it.

After a couple of minuets my head settled again and I got up a lot more slowly this time. I stood beside the bed for a while, holding onto the wall trying to hoax my feet into carry my weight, I had to find Riley and stop him from doing anything stupid. Warren could never know that Riley knew what he had done to me.

I started walking towards the door moving around the wall. I was getting steadier with each step and took the last couple of steps to the door by myself. I opened it and started off into the woods. I was going slowly and it was very frustrating but moving too fast sent my head into a spin.

So I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other determined to get to Riley and Warren before they killed each other, and it scared me to think that I might not even be exaggerating. It was all such a mess. I only came on this weekend to stop Warren from doing anything to hurt Seth or Riley, but instead of making things better I've made them worse.

But then what would have happened if I hadn't been here? I'll never know, but it could have been worse. Why would Warren bring out the big guns? This was Seth we were talking about, it would probably only taken a couple of drinks and a quiet conversation and he would have spilled all, so why on earth did he have to make him believe that he had killed that stripper?

He must have known that Seth wouldn't be able to cope with thinking that. He's just a kid after all. He was like my little brother and I was torn between the two of them and what to do but I'd know that I'd done the wrong thing, I just didn't know how to put it right.

**Animal/Simon**

"Something happen mate? You look a little pasty." The groom to be of the other stags spoke as they strode towards me.

"I need a word. There some things you really need to know about a mutual friend." They looked at me intrigued but didn't speak.

"It wasn't me who burnt your clothes, everything that's happened this week hasn't been me or anyone apart from Warren." They stood still watching me trying to decide whether to believe me or not. They then looked at each other

"Why are we supposed to believe you?" One of them questioned.

"Why did you believe him? He stole our phones and blamed it on you; it's been him this whole weekend, him and Mitzeee. He set up Seth and made him believe that he had killed a stripper, he nearly killed himself. He's just a kid, a sixteen year old kid. We've trapped him in the drainage hole out past our cabin, but hey believe him." I said before stalking off. I knew I'd said enough for them to go after him.

Now all I had to do was catch up with the guys. Mitzeee was just as bad as Warren. She knew all along and never once tried to say anything so I was defiantly not missing out on white water rafting for her.

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I could hear the other stags. They were close. I froze to the spot for a second remembering the encounter I had with the groom to be in the pub the other night. I started to panic knowing that there was no one around to help me now. Riley was too busy wanting Warren dead and I knew that I wouldn't be able to fight him off, not like this.

They sounded like they were fighting, but then I heard Warren cry out in pain. I started making my way towards them. I rounded the last tree but I was not expecting to see what I did.

"Stop." I screamed, terrified by the sight I was looking at. Three of the guys were holding Warren still, in a head lock while the stag was holding a metal baseball bat above his head getting ready to mash it down on Warren.

They all turned to look at me but I just stood staring at them not knowing what to do. I thought of pulling my phone out and threaten them with photos but when I reached into the front pocket of the hoodie I realised that it wasn't in there because I was in Riley's hoodie. I must have looked like a rabbit in headlights, but I had failed to notice that they were all looking at the state I was in and had nearly completely forgotten about Warren.

"Are you ok?" One of the group stepped towards me, a look of genuine concern on his face; I hadn't been expecting that. His question took me by surprise and I stood with my mouth open trying to make myself answer him.

"No, I slipped in the bathroom and I really don't feel good. I think I need to go to the hospital but your beating up my lift." I don't even know how it came out but it had and it seemed to be working as they looked from him to me to him again.

"We will take you. You don't want this scumbag taking you." It was the same guy talking but I could see that the others were agreeing with him, even the stag. He stepped towards me again but I quickly retreated.

"Please, I want Warren." I said bringing my arms up and wrapping them around myself. I didn't even need to try and sound scared, I really did not want to be going anywhere with them. At this the guy took a step backwards and gestured to the two that were still holding Warren down to realise him. The stag dropped his bat at this and started turning to walk away from us. Was it over?

They did eventually and reluctantly let him go and I was fully expecting Warren to start fighting with them again but I was shocked when he came running over to me at the first chance he got.

He held his arms open for me just before he reached me and I collapsed into them, exhausted and relieved.

**Sorry for the wait, busy weekend. A big thank you to HollyoaksBitchh for reviewing, I really wanted him to beat him up too but it didn't fit in with where I wanted the plot to go so hopefully this will be better in the long run! Thank you for reading, I'd love to hear what you think :D xx**


	7. Chapter 7

**Mitzeee/Anne**

He held his arms open for me just before he reached me and I collapsed into them, exhausted and relieved. He pulled me close and whispered loudly into my ear.

"I love you Mitzeee, I love you so much." I didn't know what to make of it, was it all for show for the other stags?

He pulled me away from him, holding me firmly by the hips as I swayed a little and started studying me.

"What did you fall on?" He questioned and I realised it was all for show.

"Sink." I replied quietly.

"Were you unconscious at all?" I nodded sending a short burst of dizziness through my head. It pasted quickly but not quickly enough to go unnoticed, everyone had seen.

"Do you need help getting her to the car?" One of them questioned.

"I think you've done enough to help." Warren replied behind him without turning to look. His hands were still on my hips and my arms on top of his helping me feel steadier. Warren couldn't see them but they had turned and were beginning to walk away.

"I'm fine, it's just a bump. I'm just being on the safe side." I spoke out not really to anyone.

"Come on then, let's be on the safe side." Warren said slipping an arm around my waist.

"There gone." I stated once they were out of sight. I had been expecting for him to drop me like hot coal and I was bracing myself to try not to fall to the floor but Warren still held onto me. He turned us around and picked up their bat, but I thought nothing of it, before he then guided me off out of the clearing and back into the woods. I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes, walking wherever Warren lead me.

**Riley**

I was starting to worry when Animal came walking through the door. He had a huge smile on his face for some strange reason.

"What took you so long?" Doug asked but I didn't let him reply.

"How is she? Is she ok?" I asked sounding a little more worried than I should have been.

"Yes, she fine. Dented her pride but she's all tucked up in bed with a cup of tea. Now let's go." He said grabbing a wetsuit and running off to get changed. He returned about a minuet later before dragging us off to the conference room to be briefed on our afternoon.

"Well that was a complete waste of time." Doug complained an hour later as we left the conference room.

"They could have told us everything we needed to know in like ten minutes." Seth chipped in.

We were lead by our instructor out of the building and up a dirt path. The guys were chatting in front of me but I wasn't paying attention to them. Instead my mind was on Anne. Was she really as ok as Animal said? Should I go and check on her now?

I had just decided that I was going to go and check on her when we arrived at the rubber dingy. The guys were really excited and bounced up to the lifejackets and dished them out, throwing one at me. We wouldn't be long, I would go and check on her straight after we finished.

I was clipping up my lifejacket when Seth came over and wonkily place one of the red helmets on my head.

"Hurry up everyone else is ready." He said and I thought how nice it was to see him having a good time for once.

"I'm ready."

"Let's go then!" Animal called from the dingy.

"Hey boys listen up, whatever else has happened this week I want to thank you all for doing me a massive favour, for making me see Warren for the waste of space he is. Top men, all of you" I spoke as I got into the boat.

"To Riley." Animal said taking a swig out of his canteen.

"No to Mercedes." I said.

"To Mercedes," Seth said very reluctantly.

"Why so reluctant Seth?" We all spun around to see Warren standing beside the boat. Anne was tucked under his arm barely able to hold herself up. She was incredibly pale and her cloths were muddy and torn. I looked at her from top to bottom and was even more shocked to see that she didn't even have shoes on. She looked at me with her huge brown eyes, with her head resting on his chest.

"Anne come here." I told her opening my arms up for her to come to me wanting her as far away from Warren as possible.

When I saw that she was making no movement to come to me I stepped out of the boat making my way to get her. I could see that she was pleading with me not to tell him. She must have realised that I knew and come to try and stop me telling him.

I could see that she was scared stiff and that there was no way that she was going to willingly leave Warren's arms when she moved closer still to him. This angered me even more. How dare he.

"Anne, what happened?" Seth piped up from behind me and I turned to see the guys looking at her in disbelieve. She looked a million miles from the sassy, over dressed girl that had just turned up unexpected and unwanted on this week away.

"What happened? I tell you what happened. Your stupid prank went very wrong." Warren yelled and Anne instinctively ducked out of his arms and towards me. I stepped forward again wrapping my arms around her and then moved us backwards towards the boat, moving her further away from Warren.

This action seemed to make Warren flip and suddenly he was swinging a metal bat around, which I hadn't even seen him holding before. He looked like a crazy person with his face all bloody and contorted with anger.

Instinctively I pushed Anne behind me, refusing to let him lay another hand on her, but this only seemed to anger him more. Warren started making his way towards me holding his bat out in front of him clearly getting ready to use it. I was holding Anne behind me and I could feel her shaking. The guys pulled her from my arms and into the boat trying to increase the distance between us and Warren, and his bat. I started stepping backwards and then ended up falling backwards into the boat.

"Warren the lifejackets; please." Doug pleaded with Warren for a lifejacket for Anne to wear; he could see where this was going. He looked at them and then back to Anne before picking up two helmets and lifejackets and flinging them into the dingy.

"Room for one more?" He questioned jumping in too as I dragged myself backwards against the other side as Warren stood over me.

"You get it moving." He screamed at the instructor.

"What do you want?" Seth questioned him.

"I want what I came for, Seth's little secret. So hang on boy because it's about to get rough." And he slammed the bat down on the dingy to show that he meant business.

**I've been following the rough storyline of the later episodes but I'm going to branch off in the next chapter because I just had what I hope will be a great idea! Hope u like it, Lucy xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Mitzeee/Anne**

"I'd let go if I were you Riley. It's less risky than what's going to happen in here." Warren shouted at Riley, still holding his bat directly at him. He had managed to put his helmet and life jacket on extremely quickly without letting go of his bat.

"You brought it on yourself." Riley shouted back and my heart sunk as I realised that he was making it worse, not better.

"Please just stop it." I begged as Seth clipped my helmet under my chin. I really did not wanting this to end badly.

"You don't know who your friends are. I look out for you." Warren carried on shouting.

"You look after you, no one else." Doug shouted across the boat but I could barely hear him because of the noise of the rapids underneath us.

"How can you side with them after what I've done for you?" Warren turned to Doug, while Seth pulled my life Jacket over my head.

"You shit." (I think this I what he said but I'm not sure)

"We're not scared of you." Seth shouted whilst clipping up one side of my life jacket.

"And Sethy big boy you're the reason were all here, you know that." Warren rounded on Seth.

"Oh my god Seth, just tell him what he wants to know, now." I screamed at him petrified about what he would do to him if he didn't.

"What you hiding Seth? Tell me what you're hiding." Warren continued to threaten Seth leaning right over on top of him holding the baseball bat to his chin.

"Get away from him." Riley shouted as he stood up and grabbed Warren by his back trying to remove him from Seth but the weight was too much on our side of the rubber dingy and as we went over a particularly rough rapid the rubber dingy capsized and we where thrown out into the icy cold water.

**Seth**

I swam to the side as quickly as I could the icy water eating at my bare skin but the wetsuit was protecting me from the worst of it. When I reached the side I turned and pulled Animal out of the main stream of water with me. I made sure he was ok and then turned back to the water but it was too late Doug was washed further down stream and there was no sign of Riley, Anne or Warren, not that I wanted to see Warren.

We hastily got out of the water and started running down stream hoping to find and help the others. We ran beside the river and it wasn't long before we came across Warren and Doug. I couldn't believe my eyes at first when I saw that Warren was holding on to a rock and he was actually holding on to Doug to stop him from being dragged further down stream.

Both of us rushed over to Doug and went to help him out of the water. We pulled him onto dry land and were about to go back for Warren when Riley and Anne were swept past us. Riley was telling her that they were going to be ok but she looked pretty unresponsive, although her eyes where open.

"Mitzeee." Warren shouted as he dove back into the water after her.

We ran down stream watching the three red bobbing heads being dragged along. And then suddenly two of them disappeared. I put everything I had into sprinting towards them. My heart stopped for a moment as I considered what had happened to them but I breathed a sigh of relieve as red resurfaced again; but my relief didn't last long as I saw that only one red helmet had resurfaced.

I caught up along side the red helmet and was relieved when I saw that it was Riley. I then looked at what he was holding and my heart sank. It was Anne's lifejacket, the lifejacket that I hadn't finished clipping up; this was entirely my fault.

I saw the panic spread though Riley's face as he realised what he was holding.

"Anne, Anne." He screamed desperately searching through the water for her. He kept trying to dive under the water to look for her but his lifejacket was stopping his from staying under more than two seconds. In that second I realised what he was doing.

"No, Riley, don't you dare."

"Sorry, I have to find her." he shouted back as he unclipped the last side of his lifejacket and threw it over his head. I watched as it followed Anne's lifejacket down river. A sense of strangely calm dread filled me.

I watched as Riley dived and dived looking for Anne, and each time he disappeared under water I held my breath certain that he wasn't going to resurface again.

I tried to keep pace with Riley as he continued to be swept down stream, but I kept loosing sight of him as he dove. Animal and Doug over took me just as the rapids became calmer.

I watched on as Animal and Doug leaped back into the water. For a moment I couldn't bring myself to look at where they were going, it was bad new either way. I could hear Animal shouting 'Riley.' I took a quick glance to see Riley floating face down in the water.

"I've got him." Animal shouted and I looked over again to find my brother unconscious, with Doug and Animal trying to lift him out of the water. I raced over to help. I took hold of one of his legs and we lifted him up onto the grass and lay him down on his back. He looked very pale and still.

"He's not breathing," Doug said quietly.

"Riley, come on." Animal screeched in a voice that was way too high.

"Please." Doug whispered as he started compressions.

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I was chilled to the bone instantly, every part of me stinging from the sudden submersion in the icy water. I could feel myself being pulled along by the current but I couldn't really see anything apart from water and the occasional red lump. Water was constantly being splash into my face obscuring my vision and making me feel like I kept being pulled under.

Then something grabbed me. I was terrified for a second thinking that it was Warren but I relaxed when I saw it wasn't; it was Riley. He was holding onto the front of my life jacket.

"Riley." I spoke quietly and I don't know if he heard me.

"Anne, its ok I've got you, we're going to be fine." He shouted and I believed him. I was so lost in looking at Riley I didn't see the short drop in front of us until we were falling down it.

We were pushed under by the weight of the water falling on top of us and I felt the side of my head crack off something. I tried to swim to the surface desperate for breath but I felt trapped. My arms and legs wouldn't move. I couldn't breath. I couldn't do anything. My body was in pain from the cold. My head was throbbing again, and the light from the surface was getting more and more far away. I tried for as long as I possibly could. Holding on and waiting for Riley to get me. I knew he would. He was always there when I needed him.

**So cliff hanger! I couldn't resist :D I've taken the story in my own direction now so I hope you like it. Would love to hear what you think and any suggestions on where you would like it to go. Thanks for reading :D xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Warren**

I watched on as Riley and Mitzeee clung to one another as they were swept down stream. They disappeared over the edge of a mini waterfall and I waiting for what seemed like years for them to resurface. But only one person did.

I was seething to see that it was Riley and not Mitzeee. As I was about to go over the mini waterfall myself was when I saw that he was holding on to, her lifejacket. I was pushed under the water and struggled to keep my eyes open to find Mitzeee. I had no luck and gasped for air as I reached the surface.

Riley was still searching for her franticly in fear, and my own fears were scrunching me up inside. I just had to find her. There was no way I was losing her, either way. Not to Riley and defiantly not to the other way this could end, no way.

I watched as Riley unclipped his lifejacket and I wondered what on earth had made him think that that was a good idea. He went under the water repeatedly looking for her but eventually I lost track of him too.

I refused to give up looking for Mitzeee. It was freezing and my limbs felt like they were about to drop of but just thinking about her kept me going. I was being dragged down stream but I couldn't see her anywhere. I saw Doug and Animal jumping back into the river further down and I started praying that they were pulling Mitzeee from the water.

It wasn't, it was riley again but I was shocked to see that he was unconscious and probably not breathing. This just made me more determined to find Mitzeee. They had dragged Riley out onto the side of the river and they were all crowded around him while Doug started compression as I was swept past them. They had completely forgotten about Mitzeee and this made me furious.

That's when I saw it; a flash of purple in the water. I knew straight away that it was her and started fighting against the current to get to her. The current had eased of a lot now that the river had widened but I meant that I had further to go to reach the other side and her. She was floating like a star fish face down and I quickly rolled her onto her back.

I stood up realising for the first time that the water wasn't as deep as I first thought and it only came up a couple of inches past my waist. I took hold of Mitzeee under her arms and starting making my way to the bank on the opposite side to where everyone else was.

I pushed Mitzeee up onto the mud first then crawled up beside her. She was turning a horrifying shade of blue, whether that was from the cold or lack of oxygen I didn't know. I could already tell that she wasn't breathing so I clumsily checked for her pulse to find she didn't have one. I moved her a little further away from the river before laying her flat ready to start compressions.

Fear was building inside of me as the seconds passed and her heart didn't jump into action and she didn't flicker her eyes showing me that she was going to be ok.

And then, just when I was about to give up hope her body jerked to the side as she violently coughed up the river water she had inside her. My heart jumped out of my chest. She was going to be ok.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I started to say scooping her up into a hug but before I could say anymore she had uttered one word to me; one word that changed everything.

"Riley." She had her eyes closed and must have thought that I was him. Suddenly the joy was gone and was replaced by jealousy and rage. It should have been my name she said.

Cogs started working in my mind. There was no way that she was going to leave me and I wouldn't have been to worried if you'd have asked me last week but now I'd seen the way he was with her and there was no denying that he liked her too and I knew Seth's little secret as well which meant that Riley and Mercedes's marriage was doomed from the start.

No one ever left me.

I had to think of something quick and all of a sudden it came to me; I knew what I was going to do. I was still holding Mitzeee to my chest and she hadn't made any attempt to move she was just laying there her body cold against mind, shivering, her hands clutching onto the front on my lift jacket like they would never let go.

I didn't make any indication that I was going to move; I just pulled her further into my arms and started to stand. She was heavier than normal, the weight of her wet clothes weighing her down. They weren't even her clothes they were his.

He was never going to go near her again. I was going to make sure of that. I looked down at her. Her head was snuggled into my chest and her eyes were closed but I couldn't help but think she thought she was in Riley's arms.

Once I was in the woods I started looking around for somewhere sheltered. I wasn't far when I saw the perfect place between a large tree root and a fallen tree. It created a small space that was sheltered and hidden apart from when you got really close to it.

I lay Mitzeee down in this space. She opened her eyes a fraction to see what was going on and a small smile formed on her lips.

"Warren." She whispered holding her hand out to my face. She gently brushed my face but I flinched away from her touch as her hands were ice cold. She looked hurt.

"Sorry, cold." I said reaching out and taking her hand in mine. "I love you, I'll be back soon. I'm sorry." I didn't wait to see what her reaction was. I pulled out the rope I'd saved from the hole and wrapped it around her hands and feet, I knew she was too cold to be able to undo it. Then I just stood up and walked away from her, I was worried that they might be able to hear her if she started shouting but I had to get back to the river quickly and had nothing at hand to gag her.

I ran back through the short distance between Mitzeee and the river. I stopped and looked over at everyone who was still crowding around Riley, they hadn't noticed what I had done.

I threw myself back into the water and once I reached the middle I started screaming.

"Mitzeee." I screamed over and over, I started of quiet and then started getting louder. I splashed around frantically ducking under the water making my search look genuine.

**A huge thank you to BlueBalloon9596 it means so much that you like my story, I've created more questions than answers in this chapter but it's always good to keep you guessing :P everything should be explained soon. I have got a bit stuck on what Warren is going to do with Mitzeee so if you have any ideas then I would love to hear them **** thank you for reading, enjoy Lucy xxx**


	10. Chapter 10

**Seth**

Riley had been down too long. Doug was doing compressions but Riley wasn't springing to life. It felt like we'd been stood watching Doug trying to bring him back to life for hours. I hadn't been, but it had been a long time maybe even more than ten minuets.

My hope was well and truly running out. I glanced side ways at Animal and I could see that was thinking the same as me.

"Come on Riley." I whispered under my breath. Then suddenly he was coughing, and moving; he was going to be ok. Relief and joy filled me and all I could do was smile and hug the guys, until.

"Where's Anne?" He questioned immediately, pulling himself into a sitting position and looking around for her.

"We, you, well." Doug tried to explain but Riley wasn't listening he was on his feet and hastily making his way down stream looking for her. We followed and I was kicking myself for forgetting about her and only focusing on Riley.

"Anne." Riley started calling but as we listened for a reply we heard Warren calling out for her. His Mitzeee's were getting more and more frantic and he was splashing around like a mad man trying to find her. My heart sank and I looked at Riley to find he was close to tears.

Without a thought for his own safety or the fact that he had just drowned looking for her and hadn't been back with us for a minuet yet Riley jumped back into the freezing water trying to find her again.

I scanned the river but there was no sign of her. Although the river had slowed where Warren and Riley were searching she still could have been swept miles down stream by now. We had no chance of finding her. We had left trying to find her too long. We had been too wrapped up in Riley and it was probably going to cost Anne her life.

I hated thinking like that but there was a voice inside me telling me that it was the truth.

"We need help." Doug said desperately, wanting Riley out of the water and to find Anne before it was too late. He was ignored by everyone as I continued looking and Riley, Animal and Warren continued diving and wading through the water.

"We need to phone search and rescue, an ambulance, and the police, were never going to find her like this she's probably already way down stream." He said louder this time and slowly we all stopped and turned to look at him, all of our faces filled with terror and concern.

"I'm going to go back to the lodge and phone from there, keep looking." Warren instructed as he moved towards the other side of the river, hauled himself out and started running into the woods.

**Warren **

I ran into the woods and out of their sight with out looking back, they had bought it. I hadn't been gone too long and now everything was going to plan.

As I got deeper into the woods I started looking around for the fallen tree next to the large root and it wasn't long before I found it.

From where I was I couldn't see Mitzeee at all and I started panicking as I got closer and I still couldn't see her. I was sure that she would have been shouting too but there wasn't a sound coming from her direction, at all.

She was missing. I was convinced of it up until I got two steps away from her and I caught sight of her red helmet. I took the last two steps and saw that her eyes were closed and she was still looking incredibly pale.

For a moment to stood, staring down at her too scared to try and wake her in case I'd just made the worst decision of my life to leave her here. Then I saw the minuscule movement of her chest rising and falling underneath the overly large purple hoodie, and I let out a breath I hadn't even realised I'd been holding.

"Mitzeee." I spoke softly before kneeling beside her. When she didn't wake I removed the rope from her wrists and ankles with the hope that she wouldn't remember me putting them on. I stuffed the rope back into my pocket whilst watching her face for the smallest flicker of life. There wasn't one.

"Mitzeee, Mitzeee you need to wake up now." I spoke louder and rubbed her upper arm firmly. She stirred at this and slowly opened her eyes. I smiled down at her, thankful that she was awake and she looked up at me, looking right into my eyes.

"We've got to get you somewhere warm and dry." I said moving to help her stand up. She reluctantly complied with my movement and we were soon stood side by side my arm tucked securely around her waist in the probable case that she needed my support.

I started striding out but Mitzeee couldn't keep up. She was barely managing to place one foot in front of the other, as her legs were refusing to hold her weight. We needed to move quickly, I didn't have much time before I had to return to the guys with search and rescue.

I wasn't really sure how it was going to work out. I knew they would never find her in or near the river, but it was too late now to turn back now. Normally my mind would have worked it all out by now but I kept looking down at Mitzeee and all I could think about was making sure she was safe.

That's why I kept questioning whether to take her to the hospital or not. If it had been anyone else I wouldn't have thought about it twice, but it was her. She looked so unlike herself, pale, no expression and not one word had left her lips since I had returned to her.

She looked vulnerable, don't get me wrong she is vulnerable but she never shows it. She would hate for people to see her as vulnerable and here she was the most vulnerable and hurt I'd ever seen her and part of me just wanted me to pull her into my arms and never let her go.


	11. Chapter 11

**Warren **

I was very conscious of the time. We weren't moving fast enough. I had to make her move faster; I had to get up to the main lodge and use the phone before the guys came looking for me. I could feel Mitzeee shivering under my arm, her head was on my chest, her arms around my waist, and she was leaning heavily into me. She wasn't going to make it.

My time was running out with every slow step she took. I couldn't take it anymore, she was going too slowly and I had to get everything sorted. I had to get Mitzeee to the hut and then I had to go and phone for help so that my plan could fall neatly into place.

I bent down putting one arm under her shoulder and the other under her knees and scooped her up into my arms. She seemed shocked at first but quickly sank against me resting her head heavily on my shoulder and she immediately closed her eyes.

I paced forwards speedily, almost running, trying to make up the time we had lost. I scanned the trees around us looking for anything that would determine if we were going in the right direction. We didn't have time to get lost.

It wasn't long before I saw the wooden roof hiding behind the trees in the distance, it wasn't far now. I picked up the pace almost running the last couple of paces to the old rickety wooden door. I balanced on one leg while I used the other to open the door.

It smelt damp and mouldy in the abandoned hut but I didn't choose it for its smell or appearance. It was in the middle of nowhere abandoned and forgotten and perfect for what I wanted to use it for.

It was dark, dusty, and compared to our cabin it was miniature. There was only one room with a sink and toilet in one corner, a mini kitchen in another and two old camping beds taking up most of the space that was left. I set Mitzeee down on the camp bed which was nearest to the door and it creaked under her weight.

She didn't even open her eyes to see where we were. She had stopped shivering and I quickly pulled off her shoes and his trackie bottoms. They were soaking wet and I threw them beside the bed. I tucked the very old moth ridden blanket over her legs and then sat her up to remove his hoodie from her. I expected her to reacted, even if it was just a flicker of her eyes but she didn't. I pulled the hoodie over her head and threw it beside the bottoms and did the same with the tee-shirt. I cringed as I saw my hand prints bruised into her arms. She knew exactly how to push my buttons.

I then pulled the covers to her chin and went to remove her helmet. For the first time I noticed that there was blood trickling from underneath it and I quickly clipped it undone and threw it aside assessing the damage.

I couldn't see exactly where on her head the blood was coming from but it was matted into her hair and I had to fight down the bile which rose in my throat. What was wrong with me? I am not squeamish, ever.

"Mitzeee," I spoke loudly shaking her shoulders slightly. Her eye flickered open for a second before closing again. That was all I needed I was up and opening the door ready to run to the lodge. I stopped at the door and glanced back at her. She was pale but peaceful and tucked up warm and cosy so I turned and rushed off in search for the lodge and the phone.

I sighed when the lodge came into view; it seemed that I had pulled off this part of my plan as well. I took a moment to compose myself then ran full speed at the lodge.

"Help, I need help." I shouted randomly at the hut trying and succeeding to gain peoples attention.

"Our raft capsized, I can't find her, we can't find her. Please I need her, you have to get someone to help." By now staff members were running outside towards me one of them with a phone to their ear. They were talking loudly down the phone and I could hear that he was calling for help.

"Where was this? How many people were on board? Who's missing?" questions were thrown at me and I didn't know where to start answering them.

"I don't know just follow me." I demanded after two more people joined me and also started with the questions.

I started running back towards the guys not turning back to check who was following me, I could tell that quiet a few people were because I could hear them talking between themselves and on the phone to which I'm guessing was search and rescue.

As I rounded a bend in the river I could see Animal and Riley still in the water searching for Mitzeee they both looked freezing but it didn't look like they were going to give up anytime soon. Doug and Seth were nowhere to be seen and this made me a little nervous but I didn't have much time to think on it as Riley and Animal moved towards me and the oncoming circus.

**I want to say a huge thank you to BlueBalloon9596, .telly and HollyoaksBitchh for reviewing the last two chapters and BlueBalloon I would be honoured if you did think of this as the real one but I have to say I thought the whole make Seth think that he killed someone when he didn't just to learn a secret was awesome :D I defiantly think that they should do more than one Hollyoaks Later a year after the week I just crave more! Thanks for reading, enjoy xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I had no idea what to do. Should I start shouting for help? This was Warren, he wouldn't have left me anywhere where people could find me if he didn't want them to. Was I going to have the same fate as Louise?

I didn't even bother to struggle against the rope that bound my hands and feet together. My hands were numb, I knew there was no point, I wouldn't be able to undo the rope around them and even if I could my head was throbbing furiously and I was so cold. I didn't have the energy to move and get help even if I could.

I just lay there, autumn leaves surrounding me on the hard muddy ground. I was hidden between tree roots and a fallen tree the cold seeping into me, touching every part of me. I'd never been so cold in my life and we couldn't afford heating in our flat when I was little.

I tried desperately to stay awake but reality was slipping away from me. When I did managed to open my eyes for a couple of seconds all I could see was bright light and rough shapes. The bright light stung my eyes and in the end I gave in and I didn't even try to open them.

I tried to keep thinking, keep conscious but I found I couldn't hold my thoughts on anything longer than I could keep my eyes open. I kept coming back to Riley and I prayed that he had made it out of the river ok but even that couldn't keep the blackness from leaking into my mind.

It was taking over and I was losing the energy and will power to fight it anymore. I was almost welcoming the darkness at least then the cold would go away. I was too cold now to be cold, it was more than that. I'd lost feeling in my hands and feet and most of my face.

"Mitzeee," was the next thing I knew. It was Warren's voice that broke through the darkness but I couldn't respond to him. I felt him pulling at the rope around my ankles and wrists and I guessed that he had untied me.

"Mitzeee, Mitzeee you need to wake up now." He spoke louder whilst rubbing my arm firmly trying to wake me. I tried harder to respond this time and found that I managed to flicker my eyes open briefly. My eye lids were heavy but I managed to pull them open and found myself in Warren's arms with him looking down at me. He smiled when he saw my eyes were fully open, I was looking directly into his eyes and from what I could tell he was genuinely pleased to see that I was awake. Had he really just tied me up and was now holding me in his arms?

"We've got to get you somewhere warm and dry." He said looking down at me with concern before moving to stand up trying to take me with him. I didn't want to stand my body ached and stung, but eventually he had pulled me to my feet.

I leaned into Warren and was glad that his arm was around me because me feet felt like stumps and I felt like they weren't there any longer. Pain was surging up my legs and I lost all the breath in my body when Warren started walking and my legs were forced to move.

I couldn't keep up with him, no matter how hard I tried to concentrated on moving my feet and ignoring the pain. In fact I doubted whether I was managing to place one foot in front of the other at all. My legs felt like they were on fire and I was sure that I was whimpering with each step. I was shivering violently and I closed the small gap between me and Warren hoping to stop the bitter wind hitting me so harshly. I rested my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him trying to soak up his warmth. I found myself bearing more and more of my weight on Warren as I tried to lessen the pain racing through my body.

Just when I thought I couldn't stand it any longer we stopped. Then suddenly I was whisked off my feet. My head spun and for a second and I thought I had fallen. Then my eyes settled on Warren's face inches from mine, I was in his arms. I relaxed immediately, resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes. I could tell that Warren was walking very fast, almost running but I couldn't work out why. Was he getting me help? I was beginning to feel a little warm in his arms and soon I was drifting to sleep.

"Mitzeee," I was pulled from my peaceful, pain free slumber by Warren loudly saying my name as he shook my shoulders. I forced my eyes open to look at him, not able to do much else to show I was awake. They only stayed open a second but the next time I opened them Warren was nowhere to be seen and I was alone in a very dirty looking cabin.

I realised my wet clothes had been taken off me and a blanket pulled over me and I was slowly starting to warm up. He was looking after me. I might not have the same fate as Louise after all.

I closed my eyes again and welcomed the sleep that came to me almost too easily. Warren would come back for me soon. I was sure of it.

**Thank you so much for reviewing. I'm so glad that it's grabbed your interest the story keeps floating into my head all day and I can't wait to get on my laptop and write it. I was out taking the kids on a nature trail in the woods today and out of nowhere I imagined a twist that I'm going to bring into the story in a couple of chapters time, sorry to be so vague but I don't want to spoil the surprise. This is an in-between chapter that I hadn't intended on writing but its what came to me when I sat down to write, enjoy :D xx**


	13. Chapter 13

**Riley**

I sat in the back of an ambulance wrapped in a red blanket as the search and rescue team arrived. They were saddled down with searching gear and were talking loudly through walkie-talkies to each other.

Nobody would let me help with the search after finding out that I had nearly drowned. Instead I had to sit and watch all the activity going on around me. I was aching inside to get up and try and help her, find her do anything to get her back to us but the paramedics and Seth were watching me too closely for me to slip out of their sight.

They all wore grim expressions, like they already knew the out come of the search. Everyone was moving around me in a fast haze. There was so much going on. A team was getting ready to go down river on another dingy. Another two were going down by foot either side but all I could do was sit and watch.

Was this ready happening? I couldn't get my head around her being missing, it didn't seem real. She shouldn't have even been on this holiday and maybe if I had been harsher at the beginning and made her go home then none of this would have happened.

But then I would never have known about Warren. Part of me was knocked for six, complete disbelieve taking over when I saw what he had done to her arms, but another part was kicking myself for not seeing it sooner. Now I knew I could see that part of him was just the type of man that would do that.

Anne was always so strong and she was even stronger these days when she called herself Mitzeee. So why would she not leave him? I'd never seen her as weak and vulnerable as I had over the past week. It was a complete shock to the system.

She had made herself out to be a self-centred, money grabbing, fame seeking, want to be WAG who was only out for what she could get and didn't care who got hurt in the process. Very unlike the child I once knew. I didn't always buy the image she gave off. I would catch glimpses off Anne, my childhood friend, and be reminded that there was more to her than there looked but these glimpses had been getting more and more often recently and now I could help wondering if she was trying to ask me for help.

I had been taken aback earlier in the week in the pub when the other groom-to-be had her pressed up against a wall. I could see straight away what was going on and it sickened me. I very rarely saw her vulnerable but it struck a cored inside me and all I wanted to do was protect her. I had been so thankful that I had been there to get her away from him because I didn't want to think about the possibility of what could have happened to her if I hadn't.

But that protection was on a whole other level now that I knew that Warren was getting away with abusing her. He was never going to lay another finger on her I was going to make sure of it.

I looked around for him anger boiling the blood in my veins, my fists clenching aching to teach him a lesson but I couldn't see him anywhere. Did he even care that she was missing?

**Warren**

The main search and rescue base was set up by the lodge and one particularly old and round guy who had a deep Scottish accent was in charge of keeping track of everyone. He was stood in front of a large table giving orders down his walkie-talkie. The table was covered in maps of the area.

He had lots of different coloured pens, which he had used to mark out the maps showing where the search teams were and where they had been. Each team that was searching an area was penned onto the map in a different colour and the different sections of the river which were being searched crossed out when they were finished.

Also on the table were plans. They had been drawn up right at the beginning and showed how and in what order different areas were searched and where they would go next if she wasn't found.

I knew that they would never find her but I had to hold up the pretence that I hoped desperately they did.

But I couldn't concentrate on the map and pretending to look for her, my mind kept drifting off to the old forgotten about cabin that I had left Mitzeee in. I kept worrying about her. Was she warm enough? Was she hungry or thirst by now? Was she even awake?

If she was awake I had no idea if she would just get up and leave the cabin I prayed that she didn't but I hadn't locked her in so she could. I needed to get back to her but would people notice that I was missing. Nobody was paying my much attention to me but still could I risk disappearing off.

I spent another five minuets looking around me to see who was doing what and whether my absent would go unnoticed. I could see Riley sitting in the back of the ambulance looking more and more frustrated as every time he tried to get up and join in the search he was caught and told with no question about it that he was to sit down and not move.

I'd over hear the paramedic's earlier saying that they were taking him to the hospital and that he would have to stay over night for observation but he had out right refused to go anywhere until they found her.

Seth had tried to convince him otherwise but his mind was made up and nobody could persuade him otherwise. Doug and Animal were out with the search parties talking them through what had happened, leaving out the bit about me threatening them.

It was very easy to get them to leave that bit out. I told them that it would hinder the search because they would be focusing on me rather than finding her and that's all it took, it seemed that they all like Mitzeee a lot more than I had first thought.

I made a bee line for the river walking in the direction of the search parities even though I hadn't been allowed to join them. Nobody stopped me so I carried on walking until I couldn't be seen by anyone in either direction. Then I cut into the woods hopefully going in the quickest direction towards the hut.

**I can't believe how long it has taken me to post this sorry it's been busy with half term and all. I've got a major head ache so I haven't reread it, hope u like it thank you if you've reviewed xx**


	14. Chapter 14

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I woke with a start sweat coating my body. My breathing was harsh and laboured and I struggled for a minuet to get it under control. I was fighting a losing battle; whatever had caused me to wake wasn't willing to be forgotten that easily.

I tried to stay calm but every time I tried to take a deep breath and fill my lungs with the air my body needed it was cut short. I was shivering again too, the thin blanket doing nothing to keep me warm. I tried to tuck it tighter around my body but found that my limbs were stiff and sore. What was wrong with me?

I was waiting for Warren to come back. I had no idea how long he had been gone or how long I had been asleep. I stayed in bed hoping to keep as warm as I could, not wanting the cold air touching my already too cold body.

I looked around taking more notice of where I was. The smell reminded me of my childhood and the smell our flat had in the winter. It was quiet; I couldn't hear anything apart from the wind rustling through a small gap in the far wall which sunlight was shinning through.

The rest of the cabin was in darkness, the windows boarded up with chip board. It was tiny compared to the other cabin that we had been staying in for the rest of the week and it looked like it hadn't been used in years. What was Warren doing bringing me here?

I was on one of two camp beds, the other was untouched. My, no Riley's wet clothes were in a pile on the floor beside me. Suddenly I remembered that Riley knew about the bruises on my arms and Warren had just seen them too. Had he realised that Riley had seen them too? Was that where he had gone? Had he realised that that was the reason he had been acting so protectively of me?

I needed to find them. I needed to protect Riley. He was not going to die because of me. I didn't even know if he had made it out of the river alive. I prayed that he had but why had Warren whisked me off so quickly. Where had he gone? Was he getting a doctor? As much as I hated hospitals even I had to admit that I probably should been in one.

I sat up slowly, the blanket falling of my body and exposing it to the icy air. I shivered more violently as I moved my legs over the side of the bed ready to stand. I was still finding it hard to breath and sat there for a minuet steadying my breathing; but it didn't get any better.

I looked down at my clothes. They were still soaking wet and there was no way I was putting them back on. I studied the rest of the cabin and was surprised to find that it only consisted of one room. There was a kitchen in one corner and a boxed in toilet and sink in another. Apart from that there were the two camp beds and a stray chair.

I had two, no three options: put on my wet clothes, wrap the blanket around me or stay where I was. The third one was out of the question, there was no way on earth I was going to let Warren hurt Riley, or any of the others. So that left the first two. I was still shivering so I pulled up the blanket from the bed and tucked it tightly around my shoulders.

I couldn't stop myself shivering. My chest was tight and I began to think there was more wrong with me than just being cold, scared and tired. But I had to find Riley and the others and warn them about Warren. I didn't know how yet, I just had to make sure that they were going to be safe.

I stood up unsteadily, initially worried by just how unsteady I was on my feet but the thoughts were expelled as I thought about Riley and the others. I had to get to them before Warren did.

I reached forward, easily in arms length of the door, and pulled it open. Squinting I tried to see out into the bright day but in the end I had to wait for about thirty seconds for my eyes to adjust to the dramatic change from darkness to light.

I stepped outside onto the dirt and leaves and realised that I didn't have any shoes on. I looked back to the pile of wet clothes to find they were missing. I looked around the bottom of the bed with out moving from my stop in the doorway before I remembered that I didn't have any on when I left the cabin to stop Riley confronting Warren hours ago. It felt like a life time ago.

I carried on walking trying to ignore the twigs digging into my feet and wondering how I'd gotten to Warren then the raft without noticing I wasn't wearing shoes. Instead I was focusing on Riley and finding him, I kept praying that he was safe and that I would walk into his arms any minuet and he would make it all better.

But the longer I walked for the more lost I felt. I didn't even know if I was walking towards the river or not. I couldn't have been walking long but I was exhausted and struggling even more to breath.

I argued with myself over what to do. Would I carry on, potently getting more lost but with the possibility of finding and saving Riley and the others or would I stop and have a break and then decided where to go when I left a little better?

I slumped down underneath the nearest tree. I had decided that I was going to have a small break before setting off again to find them. Little did I know just how much I would come to regret that decision later.

**A big thank you to GirlWednesday for reviewing the last chapter :D Thanks for reading, let me know what you think Hope you enjoy! xx**


	15. Chapter 15

**Warren **

As I strode towards the cabin I could feel something wasn't right, but I couldn't place my finger on what it was. The cabin looked fine from the outside and nothing looked out of place but I still had this niggling feeling in my gut. I couldn't hear anything apart from the rapids far behind me and the woods alive around me. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

I quickened my pace, taking larger strides towards the door, and Mitzeee. Why did I have such a sinking feeling about what I was going to find? I was about to burst through the door when I was brought to an abrupt halt by the sound of a voice coming from inside the cabin.

My hand was poised on the door ready to push it open but instead I pressed my ear to the old wood trying to hear what was being said. I could only hear one voice; Mitzeee's, but who was she talking to? Suddenly she voice turned shrill and I jumped backwards from the door in shock.

"No please; mum, I didn't. I promise it wasn't me. Please it wasn't." She sounded desperate and petrified but I wasn't prepared for the gut wrenching scream that came next. I dove through the door ready to attack, her mum; or whoever it was on the other side but was flabbergasted to find the room exactly as I had left it with only one person in it.

Mitzeee was still lying on the bed which I had left her on. I was relieved if only for a second before I took a second to look at her more closely. The covers were twisted tightly around her and it looked very uncomfortable with only her head free from its embrace.

Her hair was still wet and matted with dry and wet blood. It was spread messily behind her on the pillow; the water from her hair had seeped into the pillow and had left a watery blood stain around her hair in a jaggy circle.

That and a combination of the thin layer of sweat that was now covering her face as it maintained its new grey tint gave a tormenting effect and made her look like she was from a horror movie and would jump up any minuet and try and eat my brains.

She had a troubled expression on her face as well but was quiet at the moment only letting out the occasional whimper. All the while she was trying to thrash against the blanket obviously distressed by being trapped by it. I just watched her for a while. I'd watched her sleep tons of times but she never looked like this. She always looked peaceful; never distressed.

There was a huge part of me that wanted to gather her up in my arms and wake her from her nightmare, comfort her while I brought her back to reality. But the other small part was scared. Scared she would ask me where we were. Scared that she would remember what had happened but mostly I was scared that she wouldn't want me holding her, that she would blame me for everything that has happened this week, for her and the others nearly dying, or the fact she was in some make shift shack when she should be in a hospital receiving the best care possible. She would be right to, but I didn't was to see that blame directed at me by her.

I could tell that she was doing badly. I could clearly see her shivering again and I could also clearly hear her short raspy breaths as she struggled to breath. I watched her chest jerk unnaturally up and down with each forced and laboured breath.

I had to do something but what? I couldn't lose her to Riley and if I walked out of here now with her I knew that I most likely would, especially now I knew that Riley and Mercedes's marriage was doomed before it even started.

I knew my time was ticking on both ends. It wouldn't be long until someone noticed my absence and fears were creeping into my mind that Mitzeee didn't have long either. How far was I willing to go to make sure I didn't loss her to Riley? Could I really watch her die?

I shook the thought from my head of course she wasn't going to die; this was Mitzeee we were talking about. Deciding I couldn't watch her any longer I stepped out into the sun shine the door swinging shut loudly behind me. Clearing all cloudy thoughts about Mitzeee from my head I took a deep breath before rushing back to the search and rescue base.

I returned and as I had thought no one had missed me. In the time I had gone there faces had fallen slightly as their hope for her to survive weakened but otherwise it looked the same as when I had left Riley was still sat in the back of the ambulance but the paramedics looked like they had run out of patience with him and were packing up getting ready to leave seemingly with or without him.

I turned to watch one of the search groups returning from the trees behind me. They looked grim as they returned empty handed. I watched them walk past me, heads down as they headed into the lodge. The last two in the group were Animal and Doug. They appeared exhausted dragging their feet lazily along the ground.

They trudged up to Seth and Riley and the reunion between the two pairs looked very awkward as no one knew what to say or do. Instead they exchanged dismal looks as they except that they had lost her.

**I almost can't believe myself what Warren just did! I know I wrote it but I wasn't planning on him leaving her but it just happened :O Thank you for the amazing reviews, you guys are so kind :D hope you enjoy xx**


	16. Chapter 16

**Seth**

I sat in silence beside Riley. I couldn't believe that they hadn't found her yet. I hated the thought of her being pulled down river by the current unable to get to the bank. How far way could she be by now? Miles?

Even that was an unrealistic thought. I saw her and Riley get pulled under the water as they went over the edge of the mini waterfall and only Riley came back up. It made me feel sick to remember that I felt relieved that the lone red helmet belonged to Riley and not Anne.

The worst thing was that he was holding her life jacket, without her in it; or was it that we were so focused on Riley that we completely forgot about trying to find Anne and getting her out.

I couldn't help but blame myself. I didn't finish clipping up her lift jacket. If I had then it would have never come off and Riley would have been able to hold onto her as they went over the edge. Then they would have both have gotten out of the water un harmed.

It was getting darker as the sun started to disappear behind the trees and I watched as the search and rescue teams started returning one by one. I watch each one eagerly as they returned hoping to see an unharmed Anne waking beside them. But I was met with disappointment each time only finding the tired and miserable faces of people in luminous yellow vests.

"Right, lets call it a night then. Everyone return to base, we will start again at first light tomorrow morning." I was appalled to hear the man stood at the table speak into the radio.

I shot up from my seat causing Riley to jump a little at my sudden movement.

"No, you can't. You have to keep on looking. You can't leave her out there all night by herself." I pleaded to the man loudly as I made my way towards him. He turned to watch me walk towards him and he sighed rather loudly. Riley was hot on my tail.

"I'm sorry young man but there is nothing more we can do now that it's getting dark. We would only be putting more people in danger if we continued with the search tonight. Go home get a good nights rest and we will be all refreshed to start the search up again first thing tomorrow morning." He said apologetically but I opened my mouth to argue back but before I could get a word out Riley spoke.

"What, so you're just going to leave her out there, cold, lost and alone while you all go back to your nice warm houses and cosy beds to get a good nights rest?" Riley started on the older man squaring up to him. Normally I would have told him to back down, or jumped in the middle to prevent Riley from doing something he would have regretted, but not this time. Not when it was Anne's life on the line.

I watched on as things got more and more heated between Riley and the old man in charge of the search. I could tell he wasn't going to back down but neither Riley nor I cared. We were going to try anything to help find her.

**Riley **

It was getting dark and there was still no sign of her. All the search and recue teams had reported back with nothing, not one glimpse. I'd had to sit around in the back of a stupid ambulance all day and watch everyone go off and try and find her but they all came back empty handed, even Doug and Animal.

The ambulance crew were packing up getting ready to go. They had warned me that I had been taking up enough of their time and that they were going to go back to the hospital with or without me, nevertheless I wasn't leaving without her being found.

Seth had tried to make me see sense but all it took were three little words to convince him otherwise.

"It is Anne." He didn't mention me going to the hospital after that, instead he sat beside me trying his best to be positive and confidant that she would come out of this alive, but as the minutes grew into hours I watched as his hope faded. We had a confrontation with the search leader when he said it was time to pack up for the night but nothing we said would change his mind.

I thought Warren would have been first in there throwing his weight around demanding that they continue but when I looked for him afterwards I couldn't see him anywhere. Part of me wondered if he really cared that little and went home, but even he couldn't be that heart less could he? I was proved right when I looked up to see Doug and Animal returning and saw Warren hovering by the search leader going over the maps.

Doug and Animal looked worn out as they approached us. Both of them looked miserable and kind of like they felt guilty for not finding her. I tried not to look too disappointed in them but I kept telling myself that if I had been out there looking that I would have found her.

I knew her best out of everyone here I would have been able to find her. I cringed as I remembered going over the waterfall and coming back up holding onto her lifejacket without her in it. If only I had held onto her probably then I would have never most her in the first place.

This was my stag do she wasn't even meant to be here. At first I couldn't work out why she had just turned up but I realise now that she turned up trying to protect Seth because she knew that Warren was going to do something. His stupid secret; I didn't even know what it was. All I knew was that it wasn't worth Anne's life.

**Thank you to GirlWednesday for reviewing my last chapter Yeah I'm hoping to put the wedding in soon maybe in three chapters or so time :D Great minds think alike :P Enjoy xx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Warren**

The search had completely packed up for the day. Maps rolled up and yellow jackets collected in. Everyone had just packed up and gone home without a care in the world. All they had bothered to tell us was that the search would be starting up again first thing.

Riley, Seth, Doug and Animal didn't know what to do with themselves. They couldn't bring themselves to just pack up and return to the cabin like the rest of them. The police had arrived just as Doug and Animal returned from the search and everyone had started to leave.

They were asking for statements from all of us. Well they hadn't asked me yet but I was just waiting for them to finish interviewing the Scooby gang before they got to me. I was pacing up and down. All I wanted to do was get back to Mitzeee. She hadn't looked right when I last checked on her but the police were waiting to interview me so I couldn't wonder off.

Eventually they were finished. I'd been every vague about what happened. Using the excuse that the woman I loved was still missing and I just couldn't think straight. They had bought every word especially the woman cop who looked at me with compassion and patted my shoulder every now and then when things would get 'too much.'

So now I was on my way back through the woods again striding meaningfully along. The guys had finished being interviewed before they had started with me and a lesion officer had taken them back to the cabin so at least they were out of my way.

Darkness had all but fallen around me and I realised that I should have stopped off and got a torch because the hut wouldn't have electricity in it.

I opened the door to the cabin and froze in the doorway. Mitzeee was gone, her bed was empty. All I could do was stare at the empty space. It took me two minuets of looking at her bed before I could move. After that I had a frantic look around the cabin, not that I had to move from the doorway to know she wasn't here.

I stepped backwards out of the cabin and into the dark, cold woods. How the hell was I going to find her in the dark, by myself, tonight? She wasn't well either, I knew it was bad when I saw her earlier but I held on convinced that she would be alright; and then she would stay with me.

I panicked as I thought of her wondering around in the woods alone in the dark. Her wet clothes were still beside the bed and she had no shoes to start with. I knew I had to find her quickly, but she was gone and I had almost zero chance of finding her.

I raced out into the woods scanning the immediate area looking for any sign of her. There wasn't any, I just had to pick a direction to go in and hope with all my heart that it was the right one. She was only wearing a thin blanket, there was no way she could last a night outside and that was without the other injuries she had sustained.

I set off to my right actually praying to god in my mind to help me find her. I ran through the woods franticly looking in every direction trying to find her but I was having no luck. How far could she have gotten? I couldn't have been that far, not without shoes on or feeling well.

I started searching a radius of the cabin hoping that I was right and she wouldn't have gotten further than my guesstimate. I would spent all ight looking for her if I had to I just prayed that I found her in time. Maybe I should get help, to help me look but I had practically kidnapped her and had no idea how I could explain away how she had gotten to the cabin and then disappeared off again.

So instead I focused my efforts on searching. I looked for anything in the woods that would say that she had been there but I found nothing. Was my circle around the cabin large enough? Was she still walking around now? Was she getting further and further away? I tried to keep calm but no one had kept me less calm in my life and that wasn't about to change now.

**Riley**

Anne was gone. She'd been missing now for three days and all hope that she was still alive had gone. They hadn't found her body, but with out her lifejacket nobody had held up much hope from the beginning. I couldn't get my head around it. How could she be gone?

I'd phoned home on the first day and mum and Jason had come straight out to be here with us either way. Dad gave some lame excuse about having the pub to run but he could have gotten someone to run it for him. Mum and Jason had turned up red eyed and enveloped us in a big hug.

And now it was time to leave. We have to leave and return to the village without her. It didn't bare thinking about. I just couldn't get my head around the fact that I would never see her again.

I thought I would know, would some how feel different if she was no longer with us. Ever since the accident I had been convinced that she was going to be ok because nothing had changed inside me. I would know if she was gone, I would feel different.

But I didn't. I looked around and still expected her to be here and then when I remember my heart physically hurts to think that I will never see her again. I feel almost selfish because I felt like I could break down at any moment but she was just my cousin, what about her mother what she must be going though losing her daughter.

I hated to admit it but Warren had gone very down hill since the accident. I'd only seen him a couple of times but he had huge bags under his eyes and he looked like he hadn't eaten since it happened.

He loved her I could tell that now and I could tell he was blaming himself for this whole thing and as mad I was at him for treating Anne like that I did feel sorry for him, but I couldn't see him letting her walk away from him either, and I would have made her after what I had found out.

I didn't care what he would have done. I could not let her live with him anymore or even go near him.

**Girlwednesday thanks for reviewing :) The wedding won't be for a couple of chapters yet I don't think. Warren's got to decide whether he's going to save Mitzeee in the next chapter, to save, or not to save? Let me know which one you want :D thanks for reading xx**


	18. Chapter 18

**Warren **

It was past midnight before I saw her unmoving body slumped under a tree. Her unnaturally white skin caught the moon light and drew me to her. I had been losing hope and kept thinking that I wouldn't find her; but then there she was.

I couldn't bring myself to run at her. She already looked dead, what if she was? Instead I approached her slowly watching her chest waiting for it to move. She was half wrapped in the thin blanket off the bed. Eventually I did see her chest rise and fall but before that happened I could hear her loud uneven, chesty breathing.

I stood watching her, listening to her struggling to breath; and trying to come to terms with what I was about to do, I didn't want to loss her. Once I felt like I had at least decided, finally, what I was going to do I gathered her in my arms and lifted her up of the cold, hard ground.

Then I started walking slowly. Each of my strides was slow and some even hovered momentarily whilst I considered changing direction, but in the end I stayed on the same path I had set out on.

**Three days later**

**Seth**

The car pulled up outside the pub, but we all sat silently, looking up at it not quiet ready to get out. Everything seemed to be so different now. How could she not be here? Ever since she had been missing I had been thinking and rethinking about what I had seen happen between Anne and Warren.

I could tell that Riley thought that the bruise on Anne's face was from a fall in the bathroom, but I knew it wasn't. Was I meant to tell anyone? Or just left it go, because it wouldn't make any difference now anyway.

I had been thinking this over and over, ever seen I had seen it happen and I was no closer to reaching a decision. It was yet another secret I had managed to stumble upon and kept leading my back to thinking about dad and Mercedes's affair and the secret they were forcing me to keep for them. I couldn't decide what to do about that secret either.

So instead I'd mostly been silent, trying not to go mad by over thinking things but it was becoming impossible. I knew I was worrying mum with my behaviour as well but I couldn't bring myself to talk. I couldn't trust what would come out of my mouth if I did.

I did and didn't want to blurt it all out. If I did then finally the truth would be out and I wouldn't have to live with these secrets all alone any longer, but at what cost. How many lives would I ruin if I spoke out about what I had seen? The answer was too many. Nobody would want to know that they had missed what Warren had been doing to Anne. Everyone would feel just as guilty as I do for not seeing it sooner or not at all, and not being able to do anything to help her. And Riley certainly wouldn't want to know about Mercedes and dad.

So I'd finally come to the decision to keep my mouth shut and keep both secrets. I had told Doug, so he knew now, so I wasn't the one who had to tell Riley, Doug could do it. I was sixteen after all it shouldn't be my problem to know all these things and to try and sort them all out.

I heard one of the car doors open and I turned to see Jason getting out of the car. Dad was standing outside the pub and Jason ran into his open arms. I was surprised to see dad looking upset, but he was. I watched on still unable to move from the car as mum and Riley left to join them at the front of the pub.

Stayed where I was looking down into my lap I felt their eyes on me but still I made no attempt to move. As soon as I left this car I would have to move on with my life, I'd have to attend her funeral, return to college and walk around the village and at the moment it was too much.

I felt so guilty, about the lifejacket, focusing on Riley instead of getting her out as well and for missing the way Warren had been treating her. I had no idea how long it had been going on but I was pretty certain that I was the only person who knew.

So for now all I could do was sit. I knew my time was numbered and that my family wouldn't let me sit in the car all night as I relished the peace and quiet whilst I had it.

It wasn't long before the car door opened and Riley slipped in beside me. I didn't look up at him. I knew he was just as lost as me, if not more so. Riley and Anne were very close as children, although mum would have never of heard of it, it was true.

I think that they had been rebuilding their friendship this week and it was a huge blow to him to have lost her just when they were getting to know each other again. I'm sure that Riley had forgiven her for the part she played in Warren's prank but I knew that she had no choice in the matter. She was trying to stick up for me and make him stop and that's how she had earned herself the shiner on her face – another thing I should feel guilty about.

I sighed loudly looking at Riley. The sigh had broken him from his thoughts and he turned to look at me. He was close to crying and before I knew it both of us were hugging and sniffing back the tears.

**Sorry about the majorly long wait for this chapter life and writers block has gotten in the way! Thanks to GirlWednesday and lovethelove for reviewing my last chapter :). It pretty boring but it's just a bridge chapter so better things are coming soon, e.g. the wedding, funeral and escape attempts!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Mitzeee/Anne**

I had no idea how long I had been in the cabin. I couldn't even remember how I'd gotten here; or did I even leave in the first place. Maybe I dreamt that, I had no idea. I drifted in and out of sleep never being able to stay awake for long. Twice Warren was asleep at my side, holding my hand, his head resting on the side of the bed. But other than that he was no where to be seen.

I felt worse than before. My chest was heavy and breathing was becoming a chore. My limbs were even heavier, as well as stiff and sore. I didn't try and get out of bed this time. I just lay there, waiting for Warren. I'd never felt this near death before. I could feel myself drifting off slowly.

Although I was waiting for Warren to come and save me my thoughts were on Riley and the other guys. I hoped they were ok, but I knew better than to ask Warren if they were when he came back.

I knew that their behaviour, Riley's especially, had made him furious. I was his girlfriend and that gave them no right to question his behaviour towards me. I knew that was how he saw it.

I just hoped that they had dropped their questions about me before his anger got the better of him and he lashed out. I wanted more than anything to get up out of this lumpy bed and find them all but my body was screaming at me in pain from the simple movement of breathing.

I hadn't even tried to move my limbs, and part of me was ashamed about that. I hadn't even tried to get out of bed and help them. But part of me knew that I didn't have the strength to stand up, let alone go wondering into the woods trying to find everyone.

So I waited with only the sounds of my laboured breathing for company for Warren to return. I had no idea what I would do when he did turn up. I didn't need to bring my hand to my face to know that one side of it was completely swollen from where he had punched me earlier.

I should have seen it coming. I was making him angry, I should have known that I would make him snap. But I had dug and dug until the only thing he could do was lash out.

I'd covered my tracks well; thanks to quick thinking and although Riley knew about the bruises on my arms he would never think that it was Warren that causes the second head to grown on the side of my face.

What was I even doing here? I needed a hospital, and for me to admit that to myself it had to be bad.

I found myself once again drifting off to sleep my thoughts focused on Riley and how he was willing to stand up to Warren to protect me.

**Riley**

Seth and I had finally made it out of the car. Mum, dad and Jason had already gone upstairs and we both walked straight past them in the lounge and into our own rooms, closing our doors behind us. I leant back against my door hoping that mum would leave me alone tonight.

I was relieved that I was left undisturbed for the rest of the evening. I wouldn't have known how to face them. I was struggling to come to terms with the fact that she was actually gone and wouldn't just be prancing around the village wearing practically nothing in this freezing weather.

My eyes focused on the left over invitations to my wedding that lay discarded in a pile on the floor. I had completely forgotten about the wedding, and come to think of it Mercedes as well.

I stood in shock for a moment unable to believe that I hadn't thought of her once during the whole ordeal. She should have been the first person I wanted by my side to comfort and help me but she hadn't even crossed my mind. Did she even know? She would probably be pleased to know that Anne was out of the way, she never did like her.

My hands balled up into fists from the anger of knowing that Mercedes never gave Anne a fair chance. I took a couple of deep breaths and forced myself to uncurl my hands. I wasn't really mad at Mercedes but at myself. I should have held onto her tighter, I should have done something to stop us being separated.

I sunk to the floor my emotions finally getting the better of me. Curled up at the foot of my bedroom door I couldn't hold back the tears. Sobs racked my body shaking it to its core. I tried to keep them quiet, not wanting my family to hear my distress but it was near impossible.

Thankfully nobody came to me. I would have hated any of them to have seen me in that state. I don't know how long I cried for. But eventually the sobs subsided although the tears still streamed down my cheeks.

I didn't bother to wipe them away. Memories of Anne filled my mind. All the adventures we went on as children, some of them even included Seth and Jasmine. Back then she was so different. She was so small, yet so strong. She was my best friend. I never told her that. Now I would never get the chance. She had been ripped away from me.

**Thank you to hollyoaksfan and Girlwednesday for reviewing my last chapter. I wasn't really into Jason but I'll add more of him in just for you :) The funeral and wedding are on their way in the next couple of chapters and should move pretty quickly then ;D Thanks for reading x**


	20. Chapter 20

**Warren**

Everyone had gone home. Finally the cost was clear. Everyone had assumed the worst. She was dead to them now. All I had to do now was get Mitzeee out of the woods without being seen and into our flat.

I was sat beside her bed waiting for darkness to fall. To say I was worried about her was a huge understatement. She had barely been conscious since I had rescued her from the river.

Her breathing was very laboured and had a rattle to it and I was scared that it meant that she had water in her lungs still. I knew she was in a bad way but I had gone too far now. I couldn't take her into the hospital. If she got any worse I would, of course I would, but for now I was going to get her home and tucked up safely in our bed.

I walked through the dark woods ignoring the sounds of the night around me. The familial hut came into view and my pace quickened. I would finally be able to spend my time with her now that they were all gone.

They had returned to the village to get on with their lives, grieve and eventually forget. I pushed the door open I could see the dark shadow of her out line exactly where I had left her earlier.

I found my chair beside her bed once more, only this time I wasn't leaving without her. I gathered her nearest clammy hand in mine, she didn't stir. I listened to her breathing. It was still very shallow but it sounded a little better than it had done last time I had sat with her.

It would take just over three hours to get back to Hollyoaks so for now I was just waiting until it was one o'clock so that we would arrive some time after four so that we could sneak in unnoticed.

"Mitzeee." I whispered. I wasn't sure whether I wanted her to wake up or not but I felt like I needed to be with her. She gently squeezed my hand letting me know that she was awake.

"Hey babe," I spoke softly as she turned her head to face me. Her eyes were still fighting to stay open and I brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.

She smiled lazily at me before trying to move across so that I could squeeze in beside her. Her face was suddenly filled with pain and she started coughing mercilessly.

I helped her to sit up hoping that it would ease the coughing and reached over and retrieved a bottle of water for her. I unscrewed the lid and helped her hold the bottle to her lips as she took small steady sips.

After putting the bottle on the floor beside the bed I lay back down beside her, holding her in my arms. Her head was nestled under my chin and I rubbed small circles on her back trying to bring her comfort. It was less than a minuet before she was asleep again. I checked my watch, two hours until we had to go.

**Seth**

I heard Mercedes arrive from my room. Her voice was unmistakable as she demanded to see Riley. I wanted to go out there and make her leave but I was so angry I wasn't sure what I would do.

Instead I pulled the pillow from behind my head and pressed it over my head trying to block her out. Her voice turned into a muffle that I couldn't understand. Her muffle was joined by other muffles but I didn't bother to remove the pillow to find out who it was.

It wasn't too long before the house was returned to silence and I removed the pillow. I don't know how long I lay on my bed staring up at the ceiling, time didn't exist. I was thinking about Riley.

For the whole stag weekend I could see how close Riley and Anne where becoming, again. As children they were inseparable, if they weren't in front of mum. Riley would search for her each lunch time with out fail so that he could share his sandwiches with her.

They both knew what was coming when the end of the year appeared and they would be separated. Riley was off to a posh private boy's school whilst Anne was going to the local public one.

I watched as they both struggled to fit in at their new schools with out each other but eventually Riley came home with a smile on his face, he was on the school's football team.

It was a lot longer before I saw Anne happy about school but eventually I did. I remember the day so clearly. It was one of those hot summer days that were like you were in Spain, bright, blue sky with not a cloud in sight.

I can't remember exactly what happened but Riley, Jas and I were meeting Anne from school. I remember her walking out of school hand in hand with a boy. He was almost a head taller than her and rather plump but they were chatting and laughing with each was caring he bag and blazer for her and she had her long messy brown hair wept up off her back in a ponytail.

I remember the look of surprise when she saw us stood, leaning against the metal fence waiting for her. She immediately dropped the boys hand and he stopped his story confused by her behaviour but she had forgotten about him and was just staring at us.

She looked like a rabbit in headlights and I couldn't work out why. I remember the smile falling of my face. Why wasn't she coming over? I looked between Anne, Riley, Jas and mum. Jas was as clueless as me and we exchanged confused looked before mum snapped into action.

"What do you think your doing?" She was close to shouting as she marched forwards. Anne tried to sink backwards but the boy was stood behind her and she just backed into him. Mum quickly caught hold of her wrist with one hand before she had the chance to run, and I could see that she would have given another second.

Then she snatched Anne's belongings from the boy into her other hand and dragged her back towards us. Anne didn't put up a fight and stayed mute, her eyes on the ground.

"Come on children." She said to us when she realised that we were still stood in the same place staring at her drag Anne away. We followed quickly and silently knowing this was not the time to ask what had just happened.

**I can't believe I haven't written for ages really didn't mean to leave you guys hanging for so long so thank you for bearing with me. A big thank you to GirlWednesday for supporting me though out the whole story and giving me some wonderful feedback. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Jason**

I knocked lightly on Seth's bedroom door before entering. I peered around the door to find him lying on his bed staring at the ceiling.

"Hey," I said gently pushing the door open and joining him on the bed. This caught his attention and he watched me sit beside him.

"Do you remember that day when we went to get Anne from junior school?" He questioned and I was thrown for a second. I smiled though as the memory came back to me. It was strange I hadn't thought about that day for years yet I could remember it so clearly.

"Yer."

"We never did find out why." Seth said in realisation.

"No we didn't." I agree still replaying the day in my head.

"Why were we even getting her from school?" He questioned but I had no idea either.

"Her mum had been missing for about a week and she never told anyone. Mum was annoyed with getting nothing but her machine so she went over to the flat and found a note saying that she had left for Anne saying that she had gone on holiday and that there was cereal in the cupboard."

We both turned in shock to look at Riley. He stood in the doorway a pained expression on his face.

"Mum wasn't really mad at her that day. She had rushed to pull us out of school early and then over to Anne's school. She didn't know what she would find when she got there and then to see her walking out of school chatting and laughing happier than she'd ever seen her with her mother. Well it struck her just how little her sister looked after her daughter; it made her feel really guilty."

"That explains Anne's reaction as well. She had been caught out." Seth said while we both added the new information to what we remembered of the day.

Riley moved into the room closing the door quietly behind him.

"Anne was doing better with out her mother around. At the age of six she was making her own way to and from school, feeding and clothing herself; but that was the last straw for mum she demanded that Anne come and live with us. They had a huge row about how they couldn't have noticed, and how dad couldn't refuse to have her living with us now he knew the way that Anne had to live."

"I don't remember the argument." Seth said trying to remember.

"It was one of the biggest I've ever heard them have. Anne and I sat on the top step listening to them. We were shoulder to shoulder and I could feel her shaking beside me. Silent tears ran down her cheeks but she made no attempt to wipe them away. I told her everything was going to be ok but she jumped up used the sleeve of her school jumper to wipe away her fallen tears and ran down the stairs into the living room.

"_Please stop." She whispered, but she caught their attention and both parents looked ashamed. _

"_It's my fault," she confessed, "please don't fight over me. I'm fine, I'm better without her around. I can look after myself." She sounded so determined but I watched as my mum burst into tears over her little speech. Anne had no idea what she had done wrong but started apologizing anyway. _

"_I'm sorry, I'll be better. I promise." She vowed her little voice sounding very serious. _

"_Sweetheart you haven't done anything wrong, far from it," mum started gathering Anne up in her arms but Anne didn't know how to respond. She didn't move to hug her, but she didn't pull away either. _

"_Would you like to come and live here with us?" Dad asked shuffling towards his wife and the small child who was about five years older than his Jasmine but still smaller than her. Anne did not know what to say to that, she was silent for a while before finding her reply._

"_What about my mum? She will be angry when she gets back." _

"_I'll talk to her," my mum vowed, "it wasn't right for your mum to go off and leave you all alone."_

"I don't remember her living with us." I said interrupting Riley, trying to remember.

"She didn't. Mum sent the three of us to uncle Pete's that evening and when we got back she was no where to be seen. I still don't know what happened that evening whilst we were gone. We didn't see her for over a year after that. Mum, dad not even Anne would ever tell me what happened to her that night.

I was beginning to think that she was dead. Such a long time had passed and mum and dad refused to talk about her and we hadn't seen her either, I didn't know what to think and her being dead seemed to be the only answer. I didn't think mum and dad would let her return to her mother and I couldn't think where else she could be.

I could barely believe my eyes when she turned up at Grandma's seventieth. I was so relieved, but she wouldn't come anywhere near me. Every time I tried to get close to her, to talk to her and ask her where she had been; she moved away from me. All evening she made sure that wherever she was she could see me to make sure that I couldn't get close to her." He stopped clenching his hands together.

"Why wouldn't she come near you?" Seth asked.

"I never found that out either." Riley replied with a sigh.

**I want to say a big thank you to GirlWednesday, hollyoaksfan and lovethelove for reviewing my last chapter it's great to know that you want me to continue :D thank you for reading, enjoy xx**


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